'People compare to ABD': Calls for Sanju Samson's inclusion increase after Suryakumar Yadav's hat-trick of golden ducks
Suryakumar Yadav sensational fell to a third consecutive golden duck on Wednesday in the third ODI between India and Australia.
If Suryakumar Yadav had an unusually extraordinary run in the buildup to the 2022 T20 World Cup, he is having the opposite of that now in the leadup to the 2023 ODI World Cup. Suryakumar fell for a stunning third consecutive hat-trick on Wednesday, being cleaned up spinner Ashton Agar and this ending the series itself with a total score of zero in three balls.
SKY came out to bat after former captain Virat Kohli fell to Agar for 54 off 72 balls off the first ball of the 36th over. Agar sent it in short and the ball kept low while skidding through. Suryakumar cleared out his front leg trying to slash it and he was beaten entirely. The ball disturbed the stumps and SKY was left with a wry smile on his face.
The dismissal has led to a plethora of fans trolling Suryakumar Yadav on Twitter. While some have ridiculed comparisons that Suryakumar drew with South Africa great AB de Villiers last year, others stated that it may be time to give Sanju Samson a good run in the position.
Suryakumar was out LBW to Mitchell Starc in both of the previous matches of the series. Both were deliveries that swung back into the right hander. In the first Starc got him with a length ball that swung in and struck him on his back leg. Australia had not got the decision after which Steve Smith took DRS. Replays showed that the ball would have hit the top of off and SKY had to go. In the second match, it was a fuller delivery that struck and this time the umpire raised his finger. SKY did not take the review and replays showed that he was plumb out.
Kuldeep Yadav and Hardik Pandya were the standout bowlers for India. Kuldeep first dismissed David Warner, who came in at No.4 instead of his usual opening position, thus breaking a 40-run stand between him and Marnus Labuschagne. He then got Labuschagne as well after which he got the dangerous Alex Carey out for 38 off 46 with a ripper of a delivery.
Carey fell off the very first ball of the 39th over. Kuldeep tossed it up and sent in a leg cutter slightly short of a length. The ball landed at middle and leg but then turned away to hit the top of off stump. Carey had attempted to push the ball away but it fizzed past his bat to hit the stumps, leaving him looking rather stunned.
Pandya got India the breakthrough after a 68-run opening stand from Australia, getting Travis Head out for 33 off 31. He then got the dangerous Mitchell Marsh as well for a run-a-ball 47. Pandya then dismissed Smith for a duck off three balls to leave the Australian top order rattled. It was partnerships between Labuschagne and Warner and Carey and Stoinis that helped them recover to a certain extent and they had crossed 260 in their innings with two overs left.
However, the visitors could not bat the full 50 overs with Mohammed Siraj dismissing Mitchell Starc. Australia were all out for 269 runs, leaving India with a 270-run target to win the series.
